1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hairdressing comprising at least one polyether compound resulting from the addition polymerization of propylene oxide to a polyhydric alcohol and the subsequent addition polymerization of ethylene oxide in a suitable ratio.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Base materials for hairdressings, or liquid hairdressing preparations, heretofore used include polypropylene oxide monobutyl ether (to be abbreviated hereinafter as PPBE), polypropylene oxide glyceryl ether (to be abbreviated hereinafter as PPGE), and the esters and salts thereof such as the phosphoric acid esters and K, Na, or mono-, di- or tri-ethanol amine salts of PPBE (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 11955/73) and the phosphoric acid esters and K, Na, or mono-, di- or tri-ethanol amine salts of PPGE (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 29141/73). These compounds, however, do not meet all of the various requirements of hairdressing bases as described below.
Nonionic PPBE and PPGE are excellent bases which have many good characteristics including high hairdressing power and good feeling in use because of their moderate oiliness, and were principal bases of early liquid hairdressings. Since they have a main chain consisting only of propylene oxide polymer, their polarities are comparatively in the oily range. Thus, they do not have any difficulties in use in water-alcohol type formulations, but after the volatilization of this solvent system, they are somewhat poor in washability from the hair, and may cause soiling of wearing apparel, etc. by infiltration of oil. Attempt has been made to remedy this defect by adding a hydrophilic ethylene oxide polymer to the propylene oxide polymer main chain. The resulting product generally has increased solubility, and the above defect is removed. However, a new disadvantage in that it has increased tendency toward whitening, swelling and other alterations of celluloid thus rendering it brittle (hereinafter for simplicity called "Celluloid alteration").
On the other hand, various phosphoric acid ester compounds of polypropylene oxide have been developed. They do have improved washability from the hair and are free from soiling of wearing apparel, but have new contradictory disadvantages. Specifically, these compounds are no longer moderately oily, but are hydrophilic with too large an increase in the number of hydrophilic polar groups present. Hence, they tend to show a deteriorated ability to retain hair setting under high humidity conditions. Furthermore, since the addition of terminal phosphate ester groups promotes intermolecular or intramolecular crosslinking, the viscosity of such a base after blending it with cosmetic ingredients is difficult to control, and the viscosity stability is poor. Thus, the dressability and feeling in use of the residue remaining after volatilization of volatile materials in the hairdressing preparation, which are important factors for liquid hairdressings, are markedly impaired. In addition, since ester compounds are anionic as a result of converting the nonionic polypropylene oxide to phosphate esters, they evidently impart increased eye irritation to animals.